Water Conservation Tips

Follow the town's irrigation ban guidelines. We need to conserve even when the reservoir is full in order to maintain supply through the summer months. 

While this ban does not technically include residents with private irrigation wells, we encourage all residents to be responsible for their water use during the warmer months.

Did You Know

During the drought of 2016 the first month of the outdoor water ban resulted in a 6% decrease in water demand. As the town increased enforcement and publicity, water demand was reduced by 25% in August and September. Don't wait for a drought to make changes in your home or business!
 
Watering 1 inch of water on a 1 acre yard consumes 26,000 gallons of water – that's more than a standard 16 ‘ – 32’ swimming pool. If you water one inch a week from May to September, you are putting the equivalent of 20 swimming pools of water on your lawn – over half a million gallons!
 
All Residents
Indoor Water Use
- Install 0.5-1.5gpm aerators on all of your bathroom sinks.
- Reuse water from boiling eggs, pasta and vegetables.  
- Don’t run the water while you are brushing your teeth. This can save close to 4 gallons of water.
- Install a toilet tank displacement bag or brick to lower your gallons per flush (and water bill!).
- Defrost meat and vegetables in the fridge.
- Keep a bucket in the sink and shower to catch water while waiting for it to warm up. Waiting for a shower to warm can catch 2-4 gallons of clean water.
- Collect water from your dehumidifier and use it to water plants 
- When you refresh your pets’ water bowl pour the unused water into a bucket and recycle it into the bird bath or elsewhere outside.
 
Outdoor Water Use
- Don't water plants, lawns and gardens in the middle of the day. The water will evaporate quicker and you will need to water more frequently. 
- Plant drought resistant plants and grasses that don't need regular watering.
- Mow smarter. Visit http://www.nsrwa.org/watersmart/greenscapes/ for more details.
- Capture rain water for outdoor watering. Discounted barrels are available through the North & South Rivers Watershed Association, https://www.nsrwa.org/watersmart/2019-rain-barrel-composter-sale/
- Use mulch in your garden bed to help retain soil moisture and decrease evaporation.
- Install a ‘smart’ controller on your irrigation system that monitors conditions such as soil moisture, rain, wind, slope and temperature. Your system should be properly maintained by a professional at least every 2-3 years to keep it working efficiently. This can increase the life of your system components and save water.   
- If you don’t have sprinkler heads with built in pressure regulators, see if you can switch to those. You may also be able to move your system controller to a visible location. Picking a prominent place will help you use your system more responsibly than if it is hidden in a corner of the basement. 
 

Pool Owners:
- Use a solar cover or products such as Natural Chemistry's Cover Free and Noair heat squares, that retain heat and slow the rate of evaporation by up to 95%. The less you have to fill your pool, the more money you will save. 
- Be mindful of the town's irrigation ban, filling pools qualifies as an outdoor water use.

Boaters:
- Keep a bucket on your boat and use sea water to rinse fish guts and other debris from the deck.
- Use a trigger nozzle when you do use a hose to be sure water isn't wasted between rinses.
- Be mindful of the town's irrigation ban, rinsing boats qualifies as an outdoor water use.

Private Wells for Irrigation:
- While the seasonal irrigation ban does not apply to private wells, show your neighbors that you care about our town's water resources and follow the irrigation ban. For details visit, visit                   https://www.scituatema.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif11836/f/uploads/2017_wate...
-  Go to the Water Department office next to the 3A roundabout to register the well and pick-up a sign to install at
the entrance to the property.